Shades of Gray
by Druidess Bodicca
Summary: Andromeda Black was a Black, but she was somewhere between her sisters. Bellatrix, passionate to the point of recklessness. Narcissa, submissive as she was expected to be. Somehow Andromeda saw that it wasn't as Black and white as her family made it?tbc


**Disclaimer: JKRowling owns pretty much everything.** All that's mine is... some of the plot.

Ch. 1 - Introduction.

It was a late, mid-August eveningand Andromeda was taking a nice, hot, relaxing bath. "Andromeda! Hurry up! We can't be late to the Malfoys party!" Narcissa whined outside the door. _Narcissa_ might enjoy the night, but Andromeda was dreading it. A night in the elitist society of rich, aristocratic, purebloods was anything but Andromeda's idea of a good time. She sighed and drained the tub, grabbing a towel. After drying herself, she stepped outside the door. "Mother wants you to wear this." Narcissa shoved a grass-green colored, ruffly dress under her nose, which was instinctively turned up in disgust. Reluctantly grabbing the dress, she muttered, "I still don't see why I have to go."

Narcissa glared. "You know why. _All_ of the Black House was invited, even you and Sirius." Andromeda's heart lept at the mention of her younger cousin. She hadn't seen him since school had ended. Sure, he was a Gryffindor, and pretty cocky, but he was the only tolerable person who would be at the party. There were, of course, the Malfoys, Blacks, Lestranges, Parkinsons, Crabbes, Notts, and Goyles, all of which were terrible company. All of them bordered between perfect and sadistic, and for some, there was no border. Cissa had already left, no doubt disliking the atmosphere of the lofty attic.

Andromeda sighed and headed to her room, weaving past barrels of wine and food. Flicking her wand, the candles lit themselves. She pulled on some black stockings and black shoes, and, finally, pulled on her dress, flicking her wand once again to extinguish the candles. Grabbing her black cloak, she rushed back up the stairs and through the kitchen finally to the parlor, where Bellatrix, Narcissa, and their parents stood impatiently.

Well, let's go," Druella Black, the burly matron of the family spoke hurriedly. First Mrs. Black, then her husband, Bellatrix, Narcissa, and, finally, Andromeda, flood their way to the grand fireplace in the Malfoy's home.

Lucius, their only son and heir, stood waiting to show them to the parlor. Once there, Andromeda quickly spotted her cousin Sirius, not even attempting to show interest in his mother bragging about her, "perfect little Reggie," as Sirius referred to his younger brother as.

Knowing that her family would not miss her, Andromeda walked over to Sirius. The second he caught sight of her, he barked his practically trademark laughter. "Nice dress," he said. It might have sounded sincere had he not been panting for breath and chortling in between words.

"Shut up!" she snapped, but she smiled as she spoke. "With dress robes like that, you've no room to talk." All of the adults were immersed in chatter, and so were most of the younger members of the wizarding world present. Sirius and Andromeda exchanged glances. "Let's go. No one will notice if we leave now." Andromeda weaved her way through the crowd, dragging Sirius by the wrist behind her.

"Where are we going again?" Sirius asked, a dazed look on his face.

"Where do you think? The cellar – where we always go to take refuge from family." A look of apprehension filled his face as they edged towards the kitchens. Finally reaching the end of the crowd, they slipped into the kitchen, continuing to the door that lead down to the cellars.

Glancing at the bottles, she finally pulled one off the dusty racks. "Think the Malfoy's will miss one bottle of merlot?" Andromeda asked, feigning curiosity.

"Probably. But they'll just blame the house elf." Sirius replied thoughtfully as he pulled out the cork.

"Ironic, isn't it? Our entire family is made up of horrible, sadistic, pureblood fanatics, and when we don't by into any of that bull shit, _we're_ the ones acting out of order." Andromeda mused as she stole the bottle from Sirius.

"Well, comparatively, Cissa, Bella, and Reggie aren't exactly sitting in a cellar, drinking bottles of wine. Much less someone else's cellar, drinking someone else's wine," he added as an afterthought.

"True, true." Andromeda agreed. "Ugh I've got to get these shoes off." Sirius snorted. "Hey! I'd like to see _you_ use floo powder in a pair of stilettos." She pulled off one of the shoes off and threw it at him, laughing as it hit him in the chest. Sirius caught on and acted as though he'd been stabbed, clutching at his heart.

A couple of hours and two bottles of wine later, both of them sat on the floor. The collar of Sirius' robes was loosened significantly, and Andromeda's shoes and stockings were laying forgotten by the door. The two sat talking of all kinds of things; quidditch, school, siblings, friends, annoyances.

Sirius heaved an audible sigh. "We should probably go back before we're missed." Andromeda silently nodded her agreement. She grabbed her stockings and pulled them back up past her knee. Sirius tightened his collar again, slightly wishing they'd have more time together. They stood up, brushing the dirt from their bottoms, and joined in a friendly embrace.

They emerged from the kitchens not a moment too soon, both being spotted instantly by their respective families and being hauled away. After many farewells, they were finally face to face again. "Goodbye, Siri," Andromeda murmured. "See you at school." Having a moment longer to talk as their parents boasted to eachother of their siblings, the two cousins finally spoke of the upcoming school year. "So I guess Regulus is alone at home again this year, huh?" Andromeda asked disinterestedly.

"Yup." Sirius replied. "It's Bellatrix's fith year, isn't it? O. W. L.'s and all that?" Andromeda nodded. They were interrupted by a shriek from Sirius' mother.

"Sirius, come _on_, you ungrateful son of a--"

"Of you, mother?" he murmered dryly.

Walburga Black shot daggers from her eyes. If looks could kill. "Come along, Sirius." She stalked off, fondly towing Regulus behind her. Sirius followed grimly.

"Mother, do we have to go now?" Narcissa whined. Druella glared at her daughter sharply. "Yes, we must go, now. Bellatrix isn't complaining." At this last remark, Cissa straightened up significantly.

"Okay." She replied reluctantly.

"Ready to go, Andromeda?" Druella looked at her daughter, almost daring her to say otherwise.

"Sure," Andromeda replied carefully, in the most demure tone she could manage. Her mother, father, and sisters quickly flooed away, leaving an exhausted Andromeda behind. Quickly stepping into the fireplace, she stepped out just as briskly. Walking through the back hall, she walked up into the study, then up yet another set of stairs into the attic. Quickly finding the alcove in which her bedroom door was set, Andromeda flopped down on her bed, the three bottles of merlot she had shared with Sirius finally catching up with her.

A week later, she bolted upright, gasping for breath. Checking her bedside clock, she found the time was four in the morning Unable to get back to sleep, Andromeda tried to remember what she had dreamed that had disturbed her. She couldn't remember any particulars, but she recalled something about her friends Clara and Alice attempting to eat Regulus' overly inflated head. She finally did get back to sleep around seven. It was a nice, deep sleep, until she awoke with Narcissa prodding her. "Wake up, Andy! We're going to Diagon Alley today!"

Andromeda cracked one eye open. "Five more minutes."

"But Lucius and the others will be here in 3!"

"So go without me then!" She waited for a response, but only got a long silence. "Let me guess. He invited Bella, Rudy, Nott, Crabb, and Goyle. But not us or Rabastan."

Narcissa probably nodded; all Andromeda heard was a sniff. "Fine. Can I at least put on some robes first?" Narcissa squealded excitedly as Andromeda sat up and snatched a pair of simple robes dyed with indigo off of the chair next to her bed. "When Mother and Father let you go shopping alone, I think I'll be happier that you will," she muttered as she slammed the door shut.

Andromeda raced up the stairs and into the parlor only to see Lucius Malfo, Rodolphus Lestange, and Garrick Nott missing. "Arriving fashionably late, no doubt," she muttered to herself. She mentally noted those present: Bella, her cousin Arcturus Crabbe and his best friend Euclid Goyle. As she turned to go to the kitchen, Bellatrix called after her. "Where do you think you're going?"

Andromeda replied, over her shoulder, "sorry Bella, I forgot you don't know where any room in this house is. The kitchen, where did you think?"

"Aren't you going to offer some refreshment to our guests?"

Andromeda's laughter rang through the hall. "_Our_ guests? Oh no, my dear sister, they're your guests. And I'm not a house elf." She turned back to the kitchen, and poured herself a glass of water. As she gulped it down, Andromeda could hear a bit of commotion, suggesting Lucius' arrival. Setting the glass down by the sink, she reluctantly returned to the parlor.

As she entered, Lucius called out to her. "Andy! I was beginning to wonder if you were still sleeping," he sneered.

She rolled her eyes. "Sorry, Lucie. Guess you'll just have to be disappointed."

"Well, shall we go then?" As Crabbe and Goyle stepped toward the fireplace, Lucius held them back. "Come now, boys, ladies first." Bella and Cissa both stepped in, quickly enveloped by flames. As Andromeda stepped forward, however, he cut her off. Everyone around her sniggered, but it was a somewhat predictable act, on Lucius' part. She simply followed him, acting as if she hadn't noticed the insult.

Once everyone had arrived, Andromeda and Narcissa broke off from the group.

"I still don't see why I can't go down Knockturn Alley with everyone else," Narcissa complained. Andromeda sighed. This was going to be a long trip.

"You know Mother and Father would murder me if they found out I took you there. Which they would, considering how many of their friends are down there. Like Mr. Borgin." Not to mention that Andromeda herself felt a bit protective of Narcissa, something Bella seemed to have never felt for her. "Anyway, it's difficult to find the right books there." She added.

"But why not with Bella?"

"You know what mother says when Bella has company?"

"Not to bother them. But Andy!" she persisted.

"It applies here too! Now where are we going first? The Apothecary, Flourish and Blotts…?" Narcissa tugged her toward the bookstore, and Andromeda willingly obliged. She new Cissa would want to purchase books and such first, spending the afternoon in its entirety buying new robes.

As andromeda pulled 2 volumes of Standard Book of Spells (Volumes I and IV), she saw an unfortunately familiar face grinning and waving at her. Thecla Whyte's family was pureblooded, but they were rarely in Slytherin. Often, they tended to be much more neutral in politics. Andromeda had been somewhat pushed into Thecla's circle of friends after her surprise sorting into Ravenclaw, three years ago. She waved back, only slightly grimacing as she turned back to Narcissa.

It wasn't that she hated Thecla, but she had a very polar personality to Andromeda's. Despite being sorted into Ravenclaw, Thecla was a blushing, gossipy, giggly fourteen-year-old girl. Andromeda was quieter, and a bit less social. She was somewhat stuck with her, though, because, as a Black, all the muggle-borns and wizards of questionable descent that were unafraid of her were off-limits anyhow. Rumor had it that the Whytes could trace their lineage back to Rowena Ravenclaw herself.

Thecla raced over, carrying her books close to her chest, with rosy cheeks and a shrill tongue. "Andromeda! How have you been?" She asked. "This summer has been … am_azing_. We visited cousins, up in Scotland, and we toured Spain! You wouldn't believe what they get away with selling in the mercados near Barcelona!" (Andromea had a feeling at this point that Thecla didn't even know Knockturn Alley existed.) "Oh and did you hear! No, I reckon you haven't! Theodore Tonks is most certainly on the verge of going steady with Alice Grahm!" Every word drifted over Andromeda without her paying the least bit of attention. This kept her out of trouble. Her friends talked to themselves, mostly because of a certain extent of narcissism for their own voice, leaving Andromeda free to ignore them. "Oh! And speak of the wizard!" Andromeda turned her head over her shoulder to see who Thecla was waving at, only to find that it was Theodore himself.

"Thecla, I really need to go now. It's Narcissa's first year! So much to buy!" She interjected, rushing from the isle with Narcissa's hand gripped in hers.

All the while, Narcissa had her own thoughts. She knew about Andromeda's friends, and couldn't help feeling sorry for her sister. Bella said the Slytherins were always so much more interesting. They also understood the complex caste system behind the Ministry's power, and were much more respectful of that. And to think, Thecla had almost called over a mudblood! It was all quite appalling to Narcissa's eleven-year-old eyes.

Andromeda actually knew Theodore Tonks quite well. He and Clara were very good friends. On the first night of the sorting, Andromeda had actually sat next to him. That lasted about a day, as Bellatrix made a point that he was a mudblood and thus she was soiling the family honor. Andromeda sat far away from him in classes and stopped talking to him, when she could avoid it. Cold and aloof weren't her strong points, though, so sometimes they nodded to each other in the halls and greeted each other in the common room. Bella's point, of course, hadn't been cruel, only an if-mum-and-dad-knew, "family honor," "Toujours Pur" lecture. No matter how different their personalities, Bella and Andromeda were very close. Thought Andromeda's sorting had been an unexpected first in the family, Sirius and children from other families followed. She hadn't been both first and last, and Ravenclaw wasn't as awful as Gryffindor or Hufflepuff.

So Cissa and Andromeda continued through Diagon alley, purchasing everything they needed. Narcissa then entered Madam Malkin's shop, practically dragging her sister behind her. Andromeda speedlily chose a few sets of black robes for school and an icy-blue pair of dress robes. But Narcissa had to try on the entire shop. Pink, purple, fuchsia, emerald, crimson, white, orange, coral, sliver, platinum, gold, white gold, cream. She finally decided on 2 pairs of emerald and silver robes for school, in addition to shimmering, opalescent dress robes. The dress robes looked so stunning with Narcissa's gold hair and piercing blue eyes that Madam Malkin chose the longest piece of the fabric she could and created a hem more than six-inches long. Andromeda and Madam Malkin both knew that the chances of Cissa ever finding better robes were slim to non-existent. As they left the shop, Andromeda glanced at the large clock above Gringotts.

Two-Thirty! They had spent more than six hours in Diagon Alley. Andromeda and Narcissa walked quickly back to Flourish and Blotts and flooed home. Bella and Company hadn't yet returned, Andromeda noted without surprise. Her sister was well known for her escapades. As she ascended the lengthy flight of stairs to her bedroom, she recalled that they would be returning to school the next day. She was more than ready for her fourth year.

_A/N: always glad for cc, but please, no flames._


End file.
